The Cleaners In Their Percentages To Kill Coronavirus

Photo above and bar of soap: iStock by Getty free images

The Coronavirius causing Covid-19 is a wicked bug. To kill it, I'm suspending the use of white vinegar, my favorite natural cleaner and bringing out the calvary!  A pandemic calls for disinfectants approved to work by the Center For Disease Control. Thankfully as serious as the virus is, it can easily be destroyed by common household cleaners when used in the right proportion and way. 

Coronavirious has a protective outside protein coating. Its RNA (DNA) inside causes the respiratory disease. The correct disinfectants break up its coating. The RNA falls out and disintegrates.

Here are the CDC approved cleaners to use:

1) Soap and water - Works on hands and household surfaces. Wash your hands for at least 20 secconds (the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice) and scrub vigorously like a surgeon about to operate.

2) Purell - A combination of 60% alcohol and aloe. A good hand sanatizer while you are out at the supermarket shopping until you can get to a sink to wash your hands with soap. As much as THE SAVVY SHOPPER likes to make homemade products, it is not recommended at this time. Too risky to get right: The percentage must be 60% alcohol in a hand santizer to kill the virus. During the pandemic, go with the store bought, for-sure formula ... or use straight alcohol if you can't find Purell.

3) Alcohol - 70% strength isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Don't mix with water, use it straight. Stronger is not needed, but now we must take what we can get.

4) Bleach - The CDC formula for making an effective diluted bleach solution is: Use 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) of bleach in one gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons of bleach in one quart of water. Unfortunately, bleach can't be used on everything, as it discolors fabric and corrodes metal with longterm use, so use it with care. As it turns out (and the reason I researched this subject) my bleach-to-water mixture is too strong, as my nose and throat have been telling me, the vapors creeping out of my bathroom sink and oozing into my living room!) Good to know a much weaker solution works before I fumigate myself along with coronavirus!

5) Hydrogen peroxide - Weaker than bleach; can discolor clothing or rugs, but works, so a good standby. 3% hydrogen peroxide not diluted with water is the strength to use.

Scientists tell us in order "to decontaminate a surface, we can't just wipe it."  Coronavirus sticks to countertops and metal doorknobs. We must scrub vigorously. Crush its outer coating with force. Wet surfaces with bleach wipes, let it soak for a minimum of 4 minutes and evaporate. Wash your hands like a maniac, which also means after cleaning. 

Don't try to kill coronavirus with white vinegar, vodka, or essential oils. You can't be sure of them. With no vaccine available and no herd immunity after infection, we need to defer to the CDC's recommendations.


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